Re: [jreboll] Bringing TV

At one time you could enter Mexico with personal possessions when moving to Mexico. But there are others who can better answer that. What I can tell you is, that unlike the US and Canada, the standard voltage in Mexico is 127 volts +or-10%. So, before plugging your TV in check what the acceptable voltage range is on your TV. Often, when those items will be harmed at our higher voltage in Mexico, you need to purchase a voltage regulator set to bring your voltage closer to 110 to 120 volts.

Years ago, my voltage was approaching 142 to 143 volts. I documented same went to CFE (the electric utility) and they came out to our neighborhood and stepped the voltage down so it was closer to 130 than above 140.

Re: [johanson] Bringing TV

Thanks for your replies. I read through all the articles mentioned and I could not find anything specific to televisions. I suppose I will take it with me and take a chance. Any suggestions as to specific voltage regulators?

Re: [johanson] Bringing TV

Voltage regulators are readily available here in Mexico at many hardware stores. I would wait until I got here to get one.

Voltage regulators and surge suppressors do little or nothing when there is no earth ground which even when one has a three prong plug one should not assume it is actually grounded in Mexico.

Far better to get a UPS (aka batter back-up or No Break) as they also electronically regulate voltage and switch to battery on brownouts, peaks or power failures. Power failures are the most common problem aside from the abnormally high voltages encountered in many areas.

I am looking at a UPS now and digital readout says 135 Volts in and 117 Volts out . You would almost never get 135 Volts in USA or Canada. The UPS takes care of it.

When I rented a place in Zapopan I had 175 volts on my AC outlets then the transformer on the street fried and all was more normal like 129 volts (normal for Mexico but high by USA or Canada standards)

Re: [markosjal] Bringing TV

You might want to consider additional protection beyond the UPS ("No Break"), as most commercial UPS units have surprisingly low mJ ratings for absorbing surges/spikes, which means most UPS units do not give large enough protection or fast enough protection.

Re: [YucaLandia] Bringing TV

Buy your TV in Mexico so you have a warranty. Depending on the area you are going to such as the Caribbean, it might get 1 to 2 tears of life as the salinity is so high on the ocean side. I do US Satellite here and most of my clients replace their TVs every year here. Good Luck. Mike Mayo hodamayo@hotmail.com 998 147 2532 Telcel 832 861 5106 Vonage Facebook.USsatelliteTV.com

Re: [Aaron+] Bringing TV

When I first came to Mexico and purchased my first property (home built in 1984) in 1996-7 there was no 3rd wire anywhere in that house and I had to buy a special adaptor that allowed me to string a 3rd grounding wire from the prong feeding the UPS / voltage regulator/surge protector out the window and connected it to a 2 meter long copper grounding rod I sank in the lawn, an area that was always irrigated. Was that overkill? Not according to my techie neighbors. And all I was protecting was my tower computer. (Oh and totally off topic, what was my internet speed? It was the fastest available. It wasn't 56 K like most dialup internet speeds up only up to 28 K down by slightly more when uploading.

Often today, nicer, newer homes built for the expats, are properly wired. BUT NEVER assume that the wiring is correct and that your home electrical system is correct. SO check, check and then triple check, the third time using a properly trained electrician. You wont be sorry.

Re: [jreboll] Bringing TV

part of our house was started in 1993. When we bought it and continued, I told the builder, "You are in charge of everything else. The electrical wiring is mine, mine, mine."

At first he was confused, but after while he figured it out and was able to do it more or less right. The only problem was I asked if Mexico had a color code for house wiring and was told no. Turns out they do, so my colors are wrong. But in the whole house if you see a wire, you know what it is. White; red; black; or green always the same.

I used the NEA book from Home Depot.

He went back and added ground wires to some of his wiring and asked me for a ground fault interrupter for the kitchen.